Nations of Brussels

The Last nine Nations of Brussels are an organization of common law of Brussels in which were selected part of Magistat of the City: with knowing, inter alia, the Second Burgomaster, six Advisers (charged like the aldermen with the executive), part of the Masters or Headmasters of Supreme Charity etc…

Also the second Senior and half of the Eight ( Acht in thiois) of the Court of Drapery or Gilde Clothier. Previously the ten members of Gilde Drapière, which was at the same time a court and a chamber of commerce, namely the two Seniors and the Eight assessors, were all selected among chalk-linings of Brussels, after the revolt of 1421, the Nations could elect the Second Senior and four assessors Huits (in Latin Octovir ).

The members of the Nations were elected among the Seniors of the 49 privileged corporations of the City.

Origins

This name of Nation comes owing to the fact that it was necessary to be native Brussels to form part of it. It is said that their number of Last nines refers to New the Muses. (It is inaccurate to claim that their number would come from the Eight assessors of Gilde Drapière, those not being elected according to their corporation, but according to their Chalk-lining and, for the five members of the Nations, according to their degree of personal fortune).

A capacity middle-class

Far from being a democratic or popular capacity, as so often certain historians write it, the members of the Nations were the most important representatives of the economic capacity of their time and besides in the majority of the European cities without privilege lignager, they belonged to cettte social class called patrician who of Paris to Amsterdam directed the cities. It is thus inaccurate, as do it many contemporary historians, to call " plébeiens" representatives of the Nations, transposing a concept drawn from the Roman history, and employing a completely foreign word of the institutions of Brussels! Plebeian truths were the " inhabitants " (" ingesetene ") not having the quality of " Middle-class of Brussels ".

Two paradoxical capacities in Brussels: Chalk-linings and Nations

The division of the capacity with the Lignages of Brussels exists only since the revolt of 1421 and was not done without terrible combat with the Lignages which did not intend to share their domination without blow to férir.

Already in 1306 a bloody revolt of the Trades (In thiois Ambachten . Admittedly, with by the word, they are not to confuse with the ambactes , an old word of Celtic origin " ambactos" , that one finds already at César, to indicate its military auxiliaries Gaulois, but which thereafter will have like equivalent in late Latin " servus" and will remain in the Netherlander with the direction of expert). The Trades (" ambachten") had constrained people of the Seven ''' Lignages ''' ( Zeven Geslachten ) to take refuge in the fortress of Tervuren. But the duke of the Brabant having taken makes and causes for Chalk-linings, those could undertake against offensive against the Trades which were sizes in part close to Vilvorde in 1306.

It was then a period of absolute domination of the Lignages which lasted more than one century, the chiefs of the Trades, weakened, not daring more to stumble. This period was n the other hand a great time of economic development of the city. Civil peace was also caused by the serious external threats that the ambition of the counts of Flanders, officially forming part of the Kingdom of France, made weigh on Brussels, ground of Empire. The city was thus occupied by the Flemings in 1356. But Everard you Serclaes, of Sleeuws chalk-lining, with the head of a troop of young people lignagers pared the invader outside.

The attidude of the professionals which were interdependent of the Lignages against the external enemy showed that they could deserve the confidence of the Lignages of which the goal was to defend the city with force to preserve its independence, to direct it with wisdom and to make it more beautiful and more prosperous.

This showed that they were ripe for a future division of the capacity.

Thus since 1356 and 1357, in reward of their patriotic attitude, of the tisserands and the fullers were selected among the aldermen, and that as of 1359 of the members of the trades could take part with chalk-linings in the control of the accounts of the receivers. Members of the Trades (" Ambachten") could also gather in corporations and in 1368 a court of the apaiseurs was created, composed of four Lignagers and four people of the Trades (" Ambachten").

This period of flourishing interior peace sees in 1402 the beginning of the construction of our splendid town hall and the blooming of arts of peace: tapestry, painting and the beginning of the School of sculpture of Brussels.

And yet, this peace was again disturbed by cruel fights which still ensanglantèrent the paving stone of Brussels and made run blood in abundance in the brooks of the City.

As it is often the case, it is head which all the evil left which affected the body.

Come to power of the Nations of Brussels and division with powerful the Chalk-linings of Brussels.

The duke Jean IV of the Brabant, that the chroniclers present like a weak and entire prince dedicated to the pleasure, was dominated by his wife, arrogant allemande Jacqueline of Bavaria. She at this point was hated that one day the Master of hotel of the duke, Everard you Serclaes, refused to be used to him for table as with his Dutch lady's companions the portions which they wanted. Offended it left Brussels, and her husband, the weak Jean IV, it followed in exile. Badly in taken to him, because Philippe of Saint-pol., brother of the duke, seized the capacity as a " Ruward of Brabant" in 1420 and was plebicity by the Trades.

The always frightening Lignages as for them, faithful to legitimacy took the party of Jean IV, and made a return in strength in Brussels with a troop of 1500 riders on January 26th, 1421. The trades full with anger seize the Grand-Place, besiege the Town hall, massacre five members of the Lignages and twenties and one torture some others.

To make reappear peace, Philippe of Saint-pol., promulgates his edict of February 11th, 1421, which was approved by the duke Jean IV the next on July 15th: from now on the capacity would be shared between Lignages and Ambachten and the corporations gathered in Nations (representing the economic capacity opposed to the traditional capacity of the Lignages , owners of the ground and the free freeholds of Brussels) would elect from now on almost half of the magistrate until the end of the Old Mode.

External bonds

Official site of the Last nine Nations of Brussels
Note concerning Chalk-linings of Brussels training beside the Nations the first Member of the Magistrate of Brussels.
Official site of Chalk-linings of Brussels.

Random links: